1–20 unit landlords
Renewals & lease extensions on DIY landlord software — notice windows, e-sign, rent bumps
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For a 1–20 unit DIY landlord, renewals are how you avoid a turnover. Among the three DIY tools, TurboTenant wins the guided stay-or-go checklist: Ending Soon up to 120 days, then Renew with same tenants (Lease Renewal Checklist) or Move-Out Checklist — with Get Addendum / Customize Lease / Upload & E-Sign paths — but addendum builder + unlimited e-sign sit on Premium (Essentials/Pro), and a signed addendum does not auto-update Edit Terms or Payments. Avail wins the two-way renewal offer lane on free Unlimited: ~120-day landlord prompt (renew / let end / wait 30 days), tenant offer email, dashboard renewal components, Renew Lease draft with new rent/dates + digital sign, plus a free amendment template — while Plus unlocks deeper lease customize/clone. RentRedi wins charge-first renewals + scheduled bumps: Properties → Expiring in 90 days + email; same-rent = Edit Lease end date; rent bump = Add New Lease for the upcoming term; optional automatic % or $ rent increases; legal paper still goes through upload + Signature Request (Grow/Pro per lease & e-sign). None of these tools replace statutory notice windows or rent-control caps in your city.
What this page is (and is not)
- Is: a side-by-side of published expiration reminders, renewal/extension workflows, e-sign paths for renewals vs new leases, month-to-month conversion notes, rent-increase handling, free vs paid gates, and cutover tips for RentRedi, TurboTenant, and Avail.
- Is not: legal advice on how many days’ notice your state requires, rent-control math, just-cause non-renewal rules, or whether portal delivery equals certified mail; a duplicate of the full lease & e-sign template matrix; a claim that software “Ending Soon” labels satisfy local statute.
- Uncertainty rule: TT help still says “Premium” for addendums while pricing lists Free / Essentials / Pro — we treat unlimited leases/addendums/e-sign as paid (Essentials+). Avail’s 120-day renewal offer is documented in product-update/community posts and education (“Renew Lease”); support.avail.com article shells can be JS-heavy — confirm Start Renewal Offer / Renew Lease labels live. RR charge renewal vs Signature Request are separate steps — do not invent a one-click “Renew & e-sign” button. Re-verify before you redesign your renewal SOP.
Definitions (read this first)
- Renewal: A new fixed-term agreement (often with updated rent, dates, or policies) signed near the end of the current term. TT education distinguishes renewal (new agreement / updated terms) from a shorter same-terms extension.
- Extension: Continuing the existing lease under substantially the same terms for additional time — often documented with an addendum/amendment rather than a full rewrite. Product UIs may still call both “renew.”
- Brand-new lease (same tenants): Drafting a fresh lease agreement (state template or upload) and collecting all signatures again — common when terms change a lot or the tool’s addendum path cannot change parties.
- Month-to-month conversion: Fixed term ends; tenancy continues monthly until either party gives proper notice. May already be written into the original lease, or require an addendum / new draft + updated software end-behavior.
- Notice window (software vs statute): In-product reminders (90 / 120 days) are operational nudges. Statutory renewal, non-renewal, and rent-increase notice periods vary by jurisdiction — software labels do not prove legal service.
- Rent bump: Increasing monthly rent at renewal (or via scheduled mid-term increases if the lease allows). Must still follow local notice and rent-control rules; updating charges in software ≠ serving a legal rent-increase notice.
Feature snapshot (verify on vendor pages)
| Capability | RentRedi | TurboTenant | Avail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expiration / renewal reminder | Properties → Expiring in 90 days tab (real-time). Email when leases expire within 90 days. E-sign marketing: “90-day lease renewal reminders” | Ending Soon on Lease Profiles up to 120 days before end. Summary: “What are you thinking about doing?” → renew vs move-out | Product update / community: email at 120 days — renew with existing tenants, let lease end, or wait 30 days. Dashboard renewal components + follow-up emails. Product: renters get automated reminders as expiration approaches |
| Same-rent renewal / extension (charges) | Edit Lease → update Lease End Date; save lease charges. Current tenants stay on the unit | Renewal Checklist → same tenants. Update Lease Profile via Edit → Edit Terms (extend end date / type). Help: do not create a new Lease Profile unless adding/removing tenants | Renew Lease creates a new draft; update dates (and rent if needed), then digitally sign. Education: one-click renew path on the lease |
| Rent increase at renewal | Add New Lease for the upcoming term with new amount / start / end (keeps current lease until then). Also: schedule automatic % or $ increases (once or recurring) when creating rent charges | Document via Get Addendum (new rent + effective date) or new Customize Lease / Upload & E-Sign. Then manually Edit Terms + update Payments recurring charges — signing does not auto-sync | Put new rent in renewal offer / Renew Lease draft; education stresses market comps. Free lease amendment template for adjusting rent/policies mid-term (education: generate, then collect signatures — may be offline/upload back; confirm live e-sign on amendments) |
| E-sign renewal paperwork | Upload renewal lease or addendum PDF → Signature Request (tenant Documents). Unlimited tracked e-sign marketed on Grow/Pro path — see lease & e-sign | Renewal Checklist: Get Addendum, Customize Lease (when no TT lease on profile), or Upload & E-Sign. Addendum builder requires Premium. Co-signers on original lease are included on addendum | State-specific lease + digital signatures on free Unlimited; Renew Lease → both parties sign. Upload path uses in-platform / Dropbox Sign editor (per lease-esign notes). Amendment template is free; Plus unlocks customize/clone of lease templates |
| Month-to-month conversion | Month-to-Month checkbox when adding/editing lease (no end date). Product FAQ: month-to-month schedules can update automatically | Addendum can document fixed → MTM. Edit Term post-end behavior: go MTM automatically vs terminate on end date. MTM charges roll while Lease Profile stays active | Product supports annual / MTM / custom terms. Community: Start Renewal Offer may default to yearly — switching to MTM may need a new lease or support (confirm live). Letting expire ≠ automatic MTM unless your lease says so |
| New lease vs addendum / amendment | Charge model is Add/Edit Lease; legal form is separate upload. No published in-app “renewal addendum builder” like TT — use attorney PDF or external form + Signature Request | Addendum for smaller updates (dates, rent, deposit, provisions, MTM). New lease / Customize when bigger rewrite or occupancy party changes. Addendum not for adding/removing tenants — new Lease Profile + agreement | Renew Lease = new draft lease. Amendment template for changes to an active lease (rent, parties, policies). Education distinguishes amendment (change terms) vs addendum (add new terms) |
| Free vs paid gates (renewals) | Lease charge renewals on paid flat product. Signature Request historically Grow/Pro (Starter upgrade prompt) — confirm live plan matrix. Screening/Credit Boosting optional fees separate | Free: Ending Soon visibility + Edit Terms / charge updates; limited lease send. Essentials/Pro (Premium): unlimited lease agreements, addendums, e-signatures, Forms pack. Help explicitly gates lease addendum behind Premium | Unlimited (free): state leases, digital signatures, renewal offer / Renew Lease, amendment template, renter expiration reminders. Plus (~$9/unit/mo): customize clauses/rules, clone/reuse lease templates — not required merely to e-sign a standard renewal |
| Export / switch portability | Download signed renewal PDFs from Documents Hub / unit docs. Upcoming lease charges do not migrate as a portable “renewal offer” object | Download signed addendum/lease from Lease Profile Documents. Renewal Checklist progress and Ending Soon state stay in TT | Download executed renewal lease / uploaded amendment. Offer accept/decline email history is Avail-centric — export PDFs before you leave |
Sources (Sep 2026): RentRedi help — How to Renew a Lease (Aug 2026: Edit Lease same rent vs Add New Lease with increase; cancel upcoming); How to See Expiring Leases (90-day tab + email); How to Create Automatic Rent Increases (% or $, once/recurring). RentRedi product — /l/e-sign (90-day renewal reminders; unlimited e-sign/addenda; MTM schedules). TurboTenant help — What Do I Do When a Lease Is Ending? (Ending Soon; Renewal Checklist vs Move-Out Checklist; Get Addendum / Customize Lease / Upload & E-Sign; signing ≠ auto Edit Terms/Payments); Creating a Lease Addendum (Aug 2026: Premium required; fields for end date/rent/deposits/MTM; co-signer rules). TurboTenant education — Lease Renewal guide (Sep 2026: renewal vs extension; 2–3 month notice education). Avail — pricing (Unlimited leases + digital signatures; Plus customize/clone); rental-lease-agreement product (renewals, amendment template, renter expiration reminders); education Lease Renewals (Renew Lease click → draft → sign; ~90-day conversation tip); Lease Amendments (Nov 2025: free template; generate/download/sign/upload pattern); community Product Update (120-day renew / end / wait 30 days + tenant offer emails + dashboard components). Cross-cutting: lease & e-sign, tenant notices, rent roll & occupancy. Not found / do not invent: RR one-click legal renewal wizard; TT free unlimited addendum e-sign; Avail guaranteeing MTM inside the yearly renewal-offer UI; software “Ending Soon” = statutory notice.
Renewal vs extension vs new lease vs month-to-month
- Same tenants, same rent, longer fixed term: RR Edit Lease end date + e-sign addendum/renewal PDF if you need a signed paper trail. TT Addendum (or Upload & E-Sign) + Edit Terms. Avail Renew Lease (or amendment) + e-sign.
- Same tenants, rent bump, new fixed term: RR Add New Lease (upcoming charges) + Signature Request on the legal form. TT Addendum or new lease + manual Edit Terms + Payments. Avail Renew Lease with new rent → sign.
- Occupancy changes (add/remove adult): TT help: do not use addendum for party changes — new Lease Profile + new agreement. RR can Add Tenant on charges but still needs a properly signed legal instrument. Avail amendment education covers adding/removing tenants — confirm with counsel and live UI.
- Convert to month-to-month: Check whether the existing lease already auto-continues. If yes, you may only update software end-behavior / charges. If no, document with addendum (TT), MTM lease flag (RR), or new/amended Avail lease — community reports yearly renewal offer may not expose MTM cleanly. Deep dive (incl. RentRedi’s newer ⋮ Convert to Month-to-Month and unintended holdovers): holdover & month-to-month conversion.
- Decline to renew / force vacancy: TT Move-Out Checklist path. Avail “let the lease end” + tenant decline flows. RR: do not Add New Lease; use Expiring view to plan listing (see vacancy listings). Still serve any required non-renewal notice outside or via notices tooling — portal chat ≠ certified mail.
Free vs paid: who should upgrade for renewals
- TurboTenant: Stay Free if Ending Soon + manual Edit Terms / charge edits + wet-ink or external e-sign PDFs uploaded for storage is enough. Upgrade to Essentials primarily for unlimited e-sign + lease addendum builder (and the rest of the leasing pack). Do not expect a signed addendum to rewrite your rent schedule by itself.
- RentRedi: Charge renewals and 90-day expiring views are part of the paid product. Budget Grow/Pro if you need in-app Signature Request for the renewal PDF. Automatic rent-increase schedules are a charge feature — still send any legally required increase notice separately.
- Avail: Stay on Unlimited for Renew Lease + digital signatures + amendment template + 120-day offer prompts. Buy Plus when you need customized/cloned lease language every year — not “just to renew.”
- None: Software reminders do not waive rent-control caps, just-cause rules, or required notice methods. Pair operational nudges with counsel-approved letters when stakes are high.
Worked example: SFH — $1,850 → $1,950, 12-month renewal, 90-day clock
Single-family rental. Current lease ends Dec 31. On Oct 1 (~90 days out) you decide to offer a 12-month renewal at $1,950 (was $1,850), same two adult tenants, no pet-policy changes. Paths below follow published help/product flows (illustrative — not legal notice advice).
| Step | RentRedi | TurboTenant | Avail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Spot the end date | Properties → Expiring in 90 days; watch for the 90-day email | Lease Profiles → Ending Soon (up to 120 days). Open Summary | Expect ~120-day email / dashboard renewal component; also watch rent-roll / lease end fields |
| 2. Decide stay vs turnover | Offer renewal offline/portal; if turnover, prep listing from expiring unit | Choose Renew my lease with the same tenants → Show Renewal Checklist (or Move-Out Checklist if leaving) | Choose renew vs let end vs wait 30 days on the 120-day prompt |
| 3. Put new terms in software | Add New Lease: $1,950, Jan 1–Dec 31 next year; select both tenants; Create Charges (delete overlapping future charges if prompted) | Agree terms via Message My Tenants; plan $1,950 + new end date | Enter proposed renewal terms / Renew Lease draft with $1,950 and new dates |
| 4. Paper + e-sign | Upload renewal lease or rent-increase addendum → Signature Request; wait for both tenants + landlord countersign | Get Addendum (monthly rent + end date) or Upload & E-Sign your counsel PDF — Premium for builder/e-sign. Then Edit Terms + update Payments to $1,950 | Send Renew Lease for digital signatures (Unlimited). Store completed PDF. If only amending mid-term later, use amendment template |
| 5. Confirm ledger matches paper | Leases tab shows current + upcoming; Jan charge = $1,950 | Double-check Edit Terms end date/rent and Payments recurring amount — signature alone is not enough per help | Confirm lease record shows new rent/dates and next payment request matches $1,950 |
| 6. If they decline | Cancel Upcoming Lease (⋮ → Cancel); start vacancy marketing | Switch checklist to Move-Out; Condition Report + Return Security Deposit paths | Mark non-renewal / let end; use move-out + deposit workflows; list vacancy |
At one door with a clean renewal, Avail Unlimited wins if you want free e-sign + an explicit renewal-offer loop. TurboTenant Essentials wins if you want the Renewal Checklist + native addendum builder and will remember the Edit Terms/Payments sync. RentRedi wins if you already live in charge schedules and want Add New Lease + optional automatic increase math, with Signature Request for the PDF.
Cutover / switch handoff for renewals in flight
- Export the executed paper: Signed renewal lease, addendum, or amendment PDF — plus the prior lease. Offer emails alone are weak evidence.
- Snapshot the money terms: Old rent, new rent, effective date, deposit changes, MTM vs fixed. Spreadsheet columns beat “status: renewed.”
- Watch dual systems: If you migrate mid-renewal, freeze new Signature Requests on the old tool; finish one e-sign path before cutover day.
- Rebuild reminders: 90-day RR emails, 120-day TT/Avail prompts, and tenant expiration reminders do not transfer. Re-enter end dates carefully so the new tool’s Expiring/Ending Soon views are truthful.
- Pair with related pages: Lease & e-sign, document vault, rent roll, deposits, switch checklist.
Fit notes for 1–20 units
- Want free renewal e-sign + state lease draft: Avail Unlimited.
- Want a stay-vs-move checklist with native addendum fields (rent/end date/MTM): TurboTenant Essentials+.
- Want upcoming-term charges scheduled before the old term ends + %/$ auto bumps: RentRedi Add New Lease / automatic rent increases.
- Want the longest in-product heads-up (120 days): TurboTenant Ending Soon and Avail’s 120-day offer (RR is 90-day).
- Hate silent ledger drift after signing: Budget process time on TT to Edit Terms + Payments every renewal; verify RR upcoming lease and Avail lease rent match the PDF.
- Need statutory notice compliance: use counsel templates + notices practices — do not treat Ending Soon as service of process.
Honest uncertainty callouts
- TT “Premium” vs Essentials/Pro naming still appears across help and marketing — open the live Subscription matrix before you promise unlimited addendums.
- Avail amendment education describes generate → email/download → collect signatures → upload; Renew Lease is the clearer in-app e-sign renewal path — confirm whether amendments also route through Dropbox Sign in your account.
- Avail community threads (incl. 2025) report yearly default on Start Renewal Offer; MTM via that button is uncertain — plan a manual new lease if you need monthly.
- RR automatic rent increases schedule charges; they are not a substitute for a signed modification or a legal increase notice.
- We do not invent AI “optimal rent” guarantees, one-click just-cause non-renewal wizards, or universal 60-day notice automation across all U.S. cities.
Related
- Roommate & co-tenant changes — changing who is on the lease mid-term (Tenant Change Addendum, Edit Lease + Add Tenant, Avail amendment vs new lease)
- Holdover & month-to-month conversion — the sequel: fixed term ends without a new term (holdover vs intentional MTM, RR Convert to Month-to-Month, TT end-of-term setting, Avail new MTM lease, charge continuity, MTM rent bumps)
- Prorated rent & move-in charges — first-month proration, move-in bundles, mid-month credits
- Partial payments, credits & balance adjustments — short pays, landlord credits, ledger fixes
- Lease & e-sign — state forms, wet vs e-sign, free vs paid gaps (signing mechanics live there)
- Applications & lead pipeline — if renewal fails and you must re-lease
- Rent roll & occupancy — Expiring / vacancy views that pair with renewal season
- Tenant notices & communication logs — operational messages vs statutory proof
- Where DIY tools list vacancies — turnover marketing after a decline
- Security deposits & move-out — if they do not renew
- Inspection & condition reports — move-out condition when renewals fail
- Late fees & autopay — keep grace/fee language aligned with the new lease
- Tenant payment fees — collection costs after the new rent starts
- Document vault & lease files — where renewal PDFs live
- Switch checklist — export renewals in flight before you migrate
- RentRedi vs TurboTenant vs Avail — full criteria table
- Best PMS for 1–5 units — shortlist before you standardize a renewal SOP
- Per-unit vs flat-rate break-even — subscription math
- Co-signers & guarantors: re-sign or reaffirm the guarantor at renewal
- Early termination & lease-break fees: when the tenant wants out early instead of renewing
- Subleases & lease assignments: renewing with an assignee, or with a master tenant who sublet
- Buying or selling with tenants in place: inherited leases after a purchase, and when the buyer can change terms
- Required lease disclosures & addenda: when a renewal needs fresh lead or radon disclosures
- Small Portfolio Desk home
Educational product research only — not legal, fair-housing, rent-control, or eviction advice. Notice windows, just-cause rules, and electronic-signature enforceability are jurisdiction-specific. Confirm current menus, plan gates, and required notice methods in each vendor’s help center, your live account, and with counsel before you offer, raise rent, or refuse a renewal.